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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25226281">Reassurance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsurai/pseuds/tsurai'>tsurai</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>MCU tumblr prompts [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Civil War Team Iron Man, M/M, Not Beta Read, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Tumblr Prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:14:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25226281</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsurai/pseuds/tsurai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>for the prompt: "You made your choice"</i><br/>James realizes Tony overheard an incriminating argument with Steve – he needs to set the record straight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>MCU tumblr prompts [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132658</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>547</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Reassurance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/nezstorm/gifts">nezstorm</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The doors to the workshop miraculously still open for him, even when James is walking at a fast, determined pace that’s been known to scare civilians. FRIDAY doesn’t say a word as he passes over the threshold and stops, unsure of his welcome. </p><p>In the middle of the workshop stands Tony Stark, facing away from the entrance despite the lack of music blasting through unseen speakers.</p><p>“Barnes,” Tony says, and James holds back a wince at both the last name and the feigned casualness of his tone as the man doesn’t deign to look at him. “Thought you’d be packing by now.”</p><p>“I’m not leaving the Tower for the Compound. Not unless you kick me out.” </p><p>This, finally, gets the inventor to look up from where he’s studiously fiddling with the project currently strewn across the workbench. </p><p>“Wait, what? You made your choice- I thought...” Tony cuts himself off, running a grease-stained hand through his hair. James follows the motion with his eyes but doesn’t move from the door of the workshop, doesn’t march up and seize Tony’s hand in his like he wants to. </p><p>God, it hurts to watch Tony’s face shut down again, just as blank as the expression he’d worn when the Rogues first came back. </p><p>“You thought I chose Steve.” </p><p>The way Tony won’t meet his eyes all but confirms it. James crosses his arms, then uncrosses them again when that feels too defensive. “I know you heard what Steve said, but-”</p><p>Tony’s already holding his hands up, a gesture of surrender that James hates to see. </p><p>“You don’t have to explain to me, snowflake. I should’ve left as soon as I realized he was talking about shit that isn’t my business, but I couldn’t help listening in, and it was my own damn fault for assuming, anyway-”</p><p>“<em>Tony</em>,” James interrupts, the use of his name cutting the man short. “What you heard was Steve building castles in the air. You left too soon.” He swallows. “It does involve you.”</p><p>This finally gets Tony to look at him again, but his expression is still shuttered. He doesn’t believe, <em> won’t </em>until James explains. </p><p>It’s been six months since the Rogues returned to the US, twelve months since the newly-deprogrammed supersoldier had asked Princess Shuri for Stark’s email address. The time feels like it’s flown by, but James couldn’t have anticipated the pillar of support Tony would become in the meanwhile. </p><p>Nor the way James’ apology email had started their tentative – something he’s not yet put a name to.</p><p>“Steve wants me to be Bucky again,” James continues, and appreciates the way Tony’s mouth twitches with a sympathetic grimace. “He’s too stuck on the way things were, the people we were. I don’t want that. ”</p><p>He’s not Bucky Barnes anymore. His therapist, appointed by the Accords Committee, is the only person he’s told how thoroughly he feels detached from the emotion associated with his memories of captivity, and all before it. So even though James can recall Steve stuffing newspaper in his shoes in the winter, there isn’t much more to the memory than a vague wisp of nostalgia. It’s made things between him and Steve tense, to say the least. Even more so when it got out that he and Tony were building a friendship of their own. James is glad he isn’t cleared for the field yet – being under Steve’s command after the fight they just had...</p><p>But that doesn’t matter, not here and now. </p><p>What matters is Tony, still hovering over his workbench and watching him with wary eyes. </p><p>James clenches his hands, unclenches again when he sees the way Tony’s gaze darts to his metal fist, his attention caught – as always – by the black and gold finish. </p><p>Despite instincts saying he’s intruding, James takes a step forward, then another when Tony doesn’t react. He stops outside the blue border of holograms and work tables, keeps their gazes locked. </p><p>“You don’t.” James swallows, bites the inside of his cheek. “Don’t expect anything of me, I mean. You could have blocked my email. You could’ve just accepted the apology and never written to me again. You could’ve pretended we’d never spoken when I came back to the States, but instead you asked.”</p><p>And what an email that had been, twenty-four hours before he’d left Wakanda and near shaking with nerves at the thought of seeing this man in person for the first time since they’d fought. <em> Do you want to keep it secret? </em> he’d been asked. And no, James hadn’t.</p><p>Tony is still watching him now, patiently waiting for James to focus again. Steve used to complain to him about this man’s impatience in all aspects – always seeking the fastest way to get things done – but James doesn’t see it. A year of getting to know this man, and all he sees is a shattered person who pieced himself back together with gold-titanium, all the stronger for it.</p><p>Something must show on his face, or in his voice, because Tony’s shoulders aren’t as tense, his expression softening even as James swallows.</p><p>“I…” James pauses. “We’re friends, right?” </p><p>He knows the answer, the fact that James is residing in the Tower full time now is proof enough. He’s not asking for the <em> answer</em>, but for the way Tony pauses minutely before answering:</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>James can’t hold back the smile, and if his hands are trembling just a little it’s for a different reason this time, he doesn’t care. He takes a step forward, through the holograms and around the bench.</p><p>When James reaches out with his metal hand, Tony lets him clasp one of his, wide-eyed as he stares at the join of metal and flesh where their hands meet.</p><p>“And if I told you-” James pauses, takes the final leap. “I think of you as more than a friend?”</p><p>That – that makes those dark eyes snap up to meet his, and the last traces of the blank facade evaporates as Tony’s fingers tighten around his and Tony sucks in a deep breath. </p><p>“I’d say I feel the same,” he says hoarsely, expression lighting up the longer their eyes meet, starting to grin.</p><p>James’ eyes fix on his mouth. </p><p>They both lean in at the same moment. Before  James thinks to pull away, Tony’s lips on his sweep all thought aside in favor of sudden, warm pressure. They part for a breath before Tony steps closer, reaching to slide a hand around the base of his neck where it tangles in James’ hair. James groans against Tony’s mouth, and the involuntary sound in the silent room is enough to make them both pull away, laughing.</p><p>“Can I stay? With you,” he blurts before Tony gets his breath back. </p><p>Tony smiles, the happiest James has ever seen him. </p><p>“Of course.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>my first MCU fic in years. you can follow me <a href="https://tsuraiwrites.tumblr.com/">on tumblr</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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